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MODULE 4: GET YOUR FIRST 100 CUSTOMERS
Every successful builder charged by week 2-3. None waited for "100 free users first."
Their timeline:
Week 1: Build
Week 2: Show 10-20 people
Week 3: Add payment
Week 4: Have 3-5 paying customers
Week 1: Your Network (0-5 customers)
Timeline: Days 1-7
Goal: 2-5 paying customers
Time: 2-3 hours total
Make your list (30 min)
Write down 50-100 names who:
- Have the problem you're solving
- You can DM/email/text directly
- Will give honest feedback
If you can't hit 50, your distribution problem is bigger than you think.
Message them (30 min)
Real example:
"Hey Sarah, last month you mentioned training new agents eats 10+ hours/week. Built an AI portal that handles the basics so you can focus on coaching. Can I give you free access? Mike"
Send and follow up
Day 1: Send to 20 people (personalize each)
Day 3: Follow up non-responders (40% respond to follow-up)
Day 7: Feedback calls, ask "Would you pay $X/month?"
Expected: 20 messages → 8-12 responses → 5-8 try it → 2-3 pay
Weeks 2-8: Scale (5-100 customers)
You have 5-10 paying customers from your network. Now you need three channels running in parallel.
Channel 1: Communities
Find where your customers hang out. Reddit, Facebook Groups, Discord, Slack.
The play: Be helpful first. Comment on 5+ posts before you ever mention your product. Share real experience. Answer questions. Build credibility.
Then find threads asking for recommendations. Share your story:
"I built [X] for myself when I had this problem. Used it for [timeframe], got [specific outcome]. DM me if you want to try it."
Why it works: You're not a marketer. You're someone like them who solved the problem.
Effort: 5-10 hours/week
Result: 20-30 customers
Channel 2: Direct Outreach
Build a list of 200-500 people who have your problem. LinkedIn, Twitter, industry directories.
Send personalized messages. Not templates. Actually reference something specific they posted. Explain what you built in one sentence. Offer a 2-week trial.
Example:
"Hey Jessica, saw your post about spending 15 hours/week training agents. Built an AI portal that handles the basics. Saves most agents 10+ hours/week. Want to try it?"
Follow up twice if they don't respond. Then stop.
Effort: 10-15 hours/week
Result: 30-40 customers
Channel 3: Content
Write about problems your customers actually search for.
Three types:
- Problem-solution posts: "How to [solve problem] without [current bad solution]"
- Customer stories: "How [name] achieved [outcome] in [timeframe]"
- Twitter threads: Show your journey with real numbers and outcomes
Effort: 3-5 hours/week
Result: Compounds over time (100-200 visitors month 1, 2,000-5,000 by month 6)
The 48-Hour Customer Challenge
Can you get 3 customers in 48 hours? Here's how:
Hour 0-2: Make the list
- 20 people from your network
- 20 people from communities
- 10 cold prospects
Hour 2-8: Send messages
Send all 50 personalized messages. Not templates.
Hour 8-24: Follow up
Reply to everyone who responds. Book 5-minute calls.
Hour 24-48: Close
Ask for payment on the call. "Would you pay $X/month for this?"
Expected outcome: 50 messages → 15 responses → 3-5 paying customers
DM Templates That Work
For friends/network:
Response rate: 60-80%
For community members:
Hey [Name],
Saw your post about [specific problem]. I actually built [solution] for this exact issue.
Used it for [timeframe], got [specific outcome].
Want to try it? I'm giving free access to first 50 people.
Response rate: 30-40%
For cold prospects:
Response rate: 10-20%
What NOT to Do
Don't spam. Personalize every message.
Don't pitch features. Talk about outcomes.
Don't ask for feedback. Ask if they'll pay.
Don't give unlimited free access. Time-box trials (14 days).
Don't wait for perfection. Ship with bugs, fix them fast.
Tracking Your Progress
Create a simple spreadsheet:
Name | Source | Message Sent | Response | Trial Started | Paid | MRR
Update it daily. You'll see patterns:
- Which channels work
- Which messages convert
- Where to focus effort
The First 100 Customers Roadmap
Customers 1-5: Your network (week 1)
Customers 6-20: Close network + communities (weeks 2-3)
Customers 21-50: Communities + outreach (weeks 4-6)
Customers 51-100: Content starts working + referrals (weeks 7-12)
Timeline: 8-12 weeks from $0 to $10K MRR (at $20-50/month pricing)
What's Next?
✅ At 50-100 customers? → Module 5: Launch Strategy (Product Hunt + Viral Content) →
Need help getting traction? The issue is usually:
- Targeting wrong people (fix: narrow your niche)
- Messaging isn't clear (fix: talk outcomes, not features)
- Product doesn't work well enough yet (fix: make it reliable first)
📌 Other modules in this series:
- Module 1: Validate Your Idea →
- Module 2: How to Build It →
- Module 3: Pricing Strategy →
- Module 6: Scaling with Paid Ads →
- Bonus Module: 50 Vibe-Coding Prompts ->
- Bonus Module: ASO Optimization Guide ->
